Secretary of State Clinton assures Singapore that US Congress is committed to budget deal

SINGAPORE – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has reiterated that she is "out of politics" and assured a Singaporean audience that Congress is committed to avoiding year-end "fiscal cliff" tax increases and spending cuts that could plunge the economy into recession.

Clinton told a Singapore Management University forum Saturday that she hears world leaders' concerns about how the U.S. might resolve its debt crisis.

She said: "Now I'm out of politics, but let me assure you that for all the difference between the political parties in my country, we are united in our commitment to protect American leadership and bolster our national security."